<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>You won't believe this false hope by space_boye</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24366094">You won't believe this false hope</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/space_boye/pseuds/space_boye'>space_boye</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Doctor Who, Doctor Who &amp; Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>A little comfort, Angst, Don't expect a happy ending, F/M, Near Death, Near Death Experiences, Not Beta Read, One Shot, Post-Episode: s12e10 The Timeless Children, Regeneration Angst (Doctor Who), Regret, Suicidal Thoughts, Whump, just a tiny bit as a treat, no happy ending, then back to angst</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 06:33:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,356</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24366094</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/space_boye/pseuds/space_boye</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>All was quiet except for the breeze, with no trees or hills to slow it. The sun shone down on the Doctor as she laid in the grass. It was a very pleasant day, so much so that she could almost forget that she was bleeding out into the soil, on a planet she hadn’t even learned the name of.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Thirteenth Doctor/The Master (Dhawan)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>66</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>You won't believe this false hope</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>warnings in the tags, do pay attention to them</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>All was quiet except for the breeze, with no trees or hills to slow it. The sun shone down on the Doctor as she laid in the grass. It was a very pleasant day, so much so that she could almost forget that she was bleeding out into the soil, on a planet she hadn’t even learned the name of. </span>
  <span>She was just trying to help, really. Being alone was driving her mad despite her insistence that it was fine, so she had simply let the TARDIS take her somewhere at random. Of course her luck would have her land somewhere in the middle of a civil war, caught in the crossfire as it was all dying down. </span>
  <span>The Doctor smiled to herself. There were no more gunshots now. Dying on an empty battlefield felt… fitting. Familiar. Deserved.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was so incredibly exhausted. Did she really need to stay for another lifetime? Her attempt to leave her past behind only brought more hurt and somehow even more past that she wasn’t even aware of. Her oldest friend had betrayed her yet again, going back on countless promises, and she didn’t have the energy anymore to give him more chances. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She spoke up at the sky. “I’m not doing this anymore. I’m done being responsible for everyone I couldn’t save.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The sky did not respond, and the Doctor was glad for this. She closed her eyes, focusing distinctly on not letting the regeneration process start. Her body was fighting terribly against the mental strain and the pain inside of her, trying to do what it had done since perhaps the dawn of time, but it was not allowed. The Doctor would not allow it. She was done.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re looking rather pathetic.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The Doctor did not open her eyes at the sound of the familiar voice, instead closing them tighter and frowning. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re not real,” she murmured.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Unfortunately for you, I very much am.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The Doctor finally opened her eyes to see the Master standing above her, looking… concerned? That was odd, probably fake. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Here to finish the job?” she sighed, exasperated. “Be my guest.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No,” the Master responded, flatly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well why are you here then? This planet isn’t secretly super important or something is it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“No.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The Doctor sighed and closed her eyes again. “Can’t even let me die in peace, can you? I thought you’d have been more pleased.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Master did not respond, and instead bent down to carefully lift the injured Doctor off the grass. The Doctor groaned in response but did not fight as the Master started carrying her out of the field.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Where are you takin’ me? Why haven’t you killed me yet?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The Master’s pace was unwavering. He did not speak a word.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you doing this for? What are you getting out of this?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The Master still did not speak, focusing dead ahead despite the Doctor’s aggravated tone. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Goddammit, put me down, fucking let me—” the Doctor struggled against the Master’s hold, pushing at him. “—just let me FUCKING DIE!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With one final shove, the Doctor tumbled out of the Master’s arms, hitting the ground with a hard thump. She coughed, and tried to crawl away, unable to stand fully. Every breath hurt, and the blood she had coughed up suggested broken ribs and a punctured lung among her injuries sustained on the battlefield. Tears were rolling down her face from the pain. Still, she focused on not regenerating.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The Master walked over to her, not having any trouble catching her pitiful, crawling form.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t you fucking d—” The Doctor growled as she raised up to punch him, but the Master simply touched his hand to her temple, putting her to sleep. He caught her now limp body, lifting her up once again, and carried her to safety.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>---</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When the Doctor woke up, an entire thirteen and a half hours later according to her internal clock, she was very much surprised to find herself still alive, and still in the same body, for that matter. She was in her TARDIS, in her room, without a shirt, and her wounds looked to have been fixed up, clearly with advanced medical equipment that she wasn’t aware she owned in the first place. The Doctor rolled out of bed and winced. There was still some bruising, despite whatever miracles had been performed to fix her. It wasn’t regeneration energy, that’s for sure, otherwise she would be able to feel it still lingering in her veins. </span>
  <span>The Doctor grabbed an old green hoodie hanging off the door to her room, zipping it up over herself as she walked out to the main console room. Much to her surprise (the day seemed to be full of those), the Master was still here, sitting on the couch not far from the console. He looked up from the book he was reading, sliding his reading glasses (which the Doctor definitely did not find cute, be quiet) off his nose and pocketing them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You should still be resting,” he said, without any hint of annoyance or snark in his voice. The Doctor froze, staring at him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re still here.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I am, yes.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Didn’t know you still had a key to my TARDIS.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You never changed the locks.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Why did you do that? Save me, I mean?”</span>
  <span></span>
    <br/>
  
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>The Master opened his mouth, but hesitated. “I just did.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Of course, the Doctor thought, of course he wasn’t going to give any proper responses. “Why are you still here? Why did you save my life when you’ve made it so clear that you’ve wanted me dead?” The aggression was back in her voice. All she wanted was an explanation, dammit! The Master just looked sad.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I care, you know.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Now that was completely unexpected, and completely took the wind out of the Doctor’s sails. She looked at him, astounded for a moment, but quickly shook her head and pulled herself together.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I find that hard to believe,” she scoffed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, I do.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The Master made no effort to prove anything to her, nor to make a dramatic show of… well, anything. He simply let the Doctor react as she pleased. She furrowed her brow in confusion, at his unwavering look of sorrow. There wasn’t any deception in his eyes nor his voice. She silently walked over and plopped down next to him on the couch, leaning her head on his shoulders, and he let her, setting down his book and putting his arm gently around her. When she didn’t speak, only staring off into space, he filled the silence.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re immortal, and yet I still somehow had to save your life.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The Doctor looked up at him and smiled a little. “I guess so, yeah.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He tilted his head. “Promise you won’t do something stupid like that again?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The Doctor didn’t respond, instead leaning her head back on his shoulder. They sat there in silence for a while, the Master softly stroking the Doctor’s hair. Finally, he could bear the silence no longer.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“...I’m sorry.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The Doctor bristled, pulling away from his arm to look him in the eyes. There wasn’t any hint of sarcasm or deceit there, still only genuine sorrow. She could almost forgive him like she had done so many other times, too many other times, but this time she shook her head, bitterness piercing her voice.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“‘Sorry’ doesn’t bring them back.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Any remorse in the Master’s face left him in a snap, like it never had been there in the first place. He stood from the couch and marched towards the doors. He turned back to look at her, eyes now cold.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I guess we can’t have everything,” he snarled, and with a flap of his coat and the creak of a door, he was gone. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span>The Doctor stared motionless at where he had stood. When she looked away, she noticed he had left his book. It was </span>'The War of Worlds' by H.G. Wells, the copy battered and well-loved. She ran her fingers over the red cover, remembering times long gone, times with less hatred.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She put her head in her hands, and cried.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>